UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 18, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Counting of all votes in 33 municipalities completed, these are the results (RTK)
• LVV without any municipality against other winning parties (RFE Albanian)
• Kurti satisfied with the result of Vetevendosje in the local elections (Koha)
• Xhacka: Kosovo and Albania have the common future (media)
• EU Ministers expected to discuss situation in Western Balkans (RFE Albanian)
• Mustafa: The LDK voters showed that they cannot be deceived for long (KosovaPress)
• Progress in dialogue with Serbia helps Kosovo join NATO (Ekonomia Online)
• Kosovo ruling party loses ground in municipal elections (Prishtina Insight)
• COVID-19: No deaths, 1 new case (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 28 new cases registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio KIM)
• Brnabic congratulated the Serbian List: They showed what unity and harmony mean (RTS)
• Selakovic: The victory of the Serbian List is an indicator of the persistence, courage and indomitability of Serbian people (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic: Convincing victory shows importance of Serbian unity (Tanjug, Kosovo Online)
• In Serbian communities Serbian List's mayors (KoSSev)
• CEC: Run-off possible in Serb-majority Klokot municipality (N1)
• Janjic: Results in Kosovo expected, Kurti knew he was losing elections (N1)
• Crosses at Orthodox cemetery in Orahovac broken (Radio KIM)
• “False narrative that no KLA soldier committed any crime” (Radio KIM)
• KFOR withdrew from Jarinje (Radio KIM)
• Serbian Embassy in Bern receives threats in relation to Kosovo (Politika, Tanjug)
• Rakic to KoSSev: You get what deserve (KoSSev)
• Danas: Last October, Rakic also announced that Serbian List would leave Kosovo institutions
• "Ljiljana Subaric will be the mayor the least, people from shadow will come out'' (KiM radio)

Opinion:

• Chronicle of the Tragedy Announced (KoSSev)

• Central Election Commission: 43 percent voter turn-out
• CEC's preliminary results show projected winners of local elections (media)
• Pristina most likely heading to run-off mayoral election (media)
• Local elections: 17 mayors decided, 21 municipalities head to run-offs (Koha)
• Vetevendosje: We won bigger municipalities; we go to runoff in others (Koha)
• LDK: We have won several municipalities; runoffs in Prishtina and Podujeva (media)
• PDK: Preliminary results are very positive (media)
• Haradinaj: Results indicate we have won six municipalities (media)
• Rakic: Without Association, there won’t be Kosovo institutions either (RFE)
• Serbian List declares victory in all ten Serb-majority municipalities (RTS)
• Every time SL “withdrew” from Kosovo institutions (KoSSev)
• Demi: Changes in party leaderships giving results (Koha)
• U.S. Embassy: Another victory for Kosovo’s young, thriving democracy
• Petkovic: I congratulate Serbian List on convincing and historic victory (Kosovo-online)
• Center-right parties lead in Kosovo’s municipal vote (AP)
• Kosovo Picks 17 Mayoral Winners, But Pristina, 21 Others Head To Second Round (RFE)
• Kosovo's municipal election: Centre-right opposition lead after early results (euronews)
• Police, customs point in the north believed to be attacked with sniper bullet (Kallxo)
• COVID-19: No deaths, 10 new cases (media)

Albanian Language Media:

• President Osmani to address UN Security Council session at 16:00 (media)
• Borrell, Blinken call for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue to continue (RFE)
• “Der Standard”: Belgrade seems to be writing Borrell’s Twitter posts (Koha)
• Kosovo offers to U.S.opportunity to build permanent military base media)
• 30 days of detention for suspects arrested in police operation in north (media)
• New COMKFOR: We remain committed to peace and stability (Klan Kosova)
• 3,500 police officers, 35 judges and 80 prosecutors for election security (media)
• MacShane: Hope Hill puts map of independent Kosovo in his office (Express)
• COVID-19: 20 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic to Borrell: Serbia wants peace, stability, ready for talks with Pristina (N1)
• Rada Trajkovic on police action in northern Kosovo, responds to British Embassy (Kosovo-online)
• Marko Jaksic points out the demands to boycott the institutions in Pristina (Danas, FoNet)
• House of Rumena Ljubic in center of Pec stoned for second time (RTS)
• The last day of the election campaign, Serb candidates for president in 11 municipalities (Kosovo Online, RTS)
• Vucic with Putin on November 25 (Vecernje Novosti)
• UNS: To investigate who was behind hacker attack on Kosovo-online portal (Radio KIM)
• Petkovic: Kurti generates crisis for handful of votes (Radio KIM)

Opinion:

• Bieber: Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia unsurprising considering the state of EU policy (EWB)

International:

• US Names Wartime Serbia-Kosovo Negotiator as Belgrade Ambassador (BIRN)

• Kurti will not dismiss Goran Rakic from minister's post (media)
• Blinken meets Borrell, discuss Western Balkans (media)
• UN Security Council to hold session on Kosovo today (media)
• PM Kurti meets COMKFOR Federici, thanks him for cooperation (media)
• Tahiri: Borrell proved his bias towards Belgrade (media)
• Reka: EU blocked visa liberalisation because of rule of law, now it criticises it (Koha)
• CDHRF reacts to Borrell for remarks on Kosovo Police operation (media)
• US President nominates Christopher Hill new ambassador to Serbia (N1)
• Russia: Kosovo provoking an open confrontation (Koha)
• Kosovo-Serbia Arts Festival Promotes Reconciliation Amid Turmoil (BIRN)
• COVID-19: No deaths, 31 new cases (media)

UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 14, 2021

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: We are combating multiethnic criminal groups (media)
• UK Embassy supports Kosovo Government in upholding rule of law (media)
• Stano: North of Kosovo is specific, unilateral actions damaging (G. Express)
• Police provide new details about anti-smuggling operation (media)
• Police union condemns attacks on police officers in the north (media)
• Mehaj, Escobar discuss security issues (Radio Free Europe)
• “Borrell cannot act like a police commander in Kosovo” (Paparaci)
• Former Montenegrin Foreign Minister reacts to Borrell’s remarks (Koha)
• Protesters throw smoke bomb in Albanian embassy yard in Belgrade (Paparaci)
• Bosnian journalist reveals Vucic’s plans for destabilisation (Gazeta Express)
• COVID-19: No deaths, 31 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 18 new cases registered in Serbian areas (KoSSev)
• A new UNMIK report on the situation in Kosovo; Guterres calls for the implementation of existing agreements (RTS)
• Stano: North of Kosovo specific, unilateral actions detrimental (Tanjug, Kosovo-online)
• Selakovic at UN tomorrow to talk also about unilateral Pristina’s acts (Tanjug, Kosovo-online)
• Barricades in northern Kosovo removed, wounded Serb out of life danger (N1)
• Simic: It is peaceful this morning, but Serbs are afraid and angry (Kosovo-online)
• Citizens from northern Kosovo, Serbian List met President Vucic in Raska (KoSSev)
• NIN journalist: Action in Kosovo for Kurti to increase his chances ahead of elections (N1)
• Janjic, Sovrlic on latest crisis in Kosovo (N1)
• Initiative OPEN calls the EU's more active involvement in resolving the increasingly frequent crisis situations in Kosovo (Radio Mitrovica sever, Kontakt plus radio, KoSSev)
• House of Rumena Ljubic, the only Serb woman in center of Pec, stoned (Radio KIM)
• Bancroft: Kosovo police action will create additional tensions between Kosovo institutions and Serbs (Kosovo Online)
• "After the recent vehicle plates war, now on table is a war against the smuggling goods'' (Nova S, Newsmax Adria, KoSSev)
• Djuric to von Cramon: You should be ashamed (Kosovo-online)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Christian NGO’s child sponsorship program angers Kosovo parents (BIRN)

• Roadblocks in Mitrovica North and Rudare removed (RFE/Koha)
• Interior Minister: Police operation not directed against any nationality (media)
• Kosovo President statement on Wednesday's police operations (media)
• US Embassy: Attacks on police, media and civilians, unacceptable (media)
• German Ambassador reacts to pressure and attacks against journalists (media)
• Rakic’s remarks about “crystal night” spark reactions (media)
• NATO comments on situation in the north (Telegrafi)
• Dalipi to Borrell: No one should portray police action as a political or ethnic problem (media)
• EP Rapporteur for Kosovo reacts to Borrell’s statements (media)
• Several journalists attacked during riots in Mitrovica (europeanjournalists.org)
• EFJ secretary reacts to reports of journalists attacked in north (Kallxo/media)
• Video published of moment when explosive device thrown near reporter (media)
• The Radio Free Europe team unable to work in the north (RFE)
• Violence in North Kosovo draws conflicting reactions (BIRN)
• Osmani to represent Kosovo at UN Security Council session (Koha)
• Kandic says it is not safe to sit with Petkovic at the negotiating table (RTK)
• Vucic: If they start violence, you protect the people; we’ll be with you (media)
• Dacic: War or peace, the international community to decide (Indeksonline)
• Djuric: Kurti’s attempts to demonstrate power before elections (media)
• Grenell: Biden must not be silent; this is dangerous and ruthless (media)
• UNS: To enable uninterrupted work of journalists in the north Kosovo (N1)
• Reactions of parties in Serbia to the Kosovo police operation (N1)

Albanian Language Media:

• Serbs in the north oppose police anti-smuggling operation (media)
• Kurti: Crime and criminal groups will not be tolerated and will be fought (media)
• Borrell: Violent incidents in the north to stop immediately (media)
• Police provide information about today's operation (media)
• Ministers: Police operation aimed at fighting criminal groups (Kallxo)
• Haradinaj: No one can attack the police, operation’s timing dilemmas to be clarified (media)
• CDHRF: Authorities to take action against all those violating the law (media)
• AGK: Albanian and Serb journalists attacked in Mitrovica North (media)
• Kosovo Government adopts concept document for vetting in judiciary (media)
• COVID-19: One death, 29 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic: Mitrovica and Zvecan showered with bursts, a showdown with the bare-handed people (N1)
• PM Brnabic: I call on the international community, KFOR and NATO to react urgently (RTS)
• Petkovic: Another provocation of Kurti, I informed Lajcak (RTS)
• Dr Elek: Patient with gunshot wound operated and stable, injured right shoulder blade and broken rib (Kosovo Online)
• Rakic before meeting with Vucic (Vecernje Novosti, TV Pink, Kosovo Online)
• Journalists of KoSSev face pressure not to report during the N. Mitrovica conflict (KoSSev)
• The Diocese of Raska and Prizren calls for calming the situation (KiM radio)
• Tear gas, shock bombs and sirens in the northern part of Mitrovica, police action and citizens' protest (media)
• Daily Blic: Christopher Hill new US ambassador to Serbia (Kosovo Online)
• Petkovic calls internally displaced from Kosovo to go to the polls on October 17th (KiM radio)
• Serbia calls on internally displaced persons to vote (KiM radio)

International:

• Kosovo police clash with ethnic Serbs during smuggling raids (AP)
• One Serb shot, 6 policemen injured in Kosovo clashes (Reuters)
• Kosovo Police Clash With Serbs in Anti-Smuggling Crackdown (Balkan Insight)

• Prishtina’s future mayor (Kosovo 2.0)
• Kosovo court remands five terrorism suspects in custody (BIRN)
• Indictment filed in case of theft of over €2 million from state treasury (RFE)
• Albanian villages in north now under administration of police in Mitrovica South (media)
• Cable operator from Serbia expanding without permit south of Ibar (RFE)
• Western Balkans Diaspora write to Biden to deter Serbia’s growing influence (Euronews.al)
• Serwer: Serbia’s current elite steals, people to think about it in elections (N1)
• EU Climate Diplomacy Week opens in Kosovo (BIRN)
• COVID-19: No deaths, 35 new cases (media)
• Serbian officials knew COVID-19 deaths three times higher than reported (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Lumezi demands maximum commitment in defending local election process (Kallxo)
• Svecla: We had excellent coordination for the operation in the north (media)
• Police Director: There were plans to destroy border crossings (Express)
• President Osmani decorates KFOR Commander (media)
• Pacolli claims three countries have provided guarantees for the accused in The Hague (media)
• COVID-19: No deaths, 35 new cases (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 20 new cases registered in Serbian areas (KoSSev)
• Summit of Non-Aligned Movement continues in Belgrade (B92)
• Analyst: Arms trade, Kosovo issue on Belgrade Non-Aligned Summit’s agenda (N1)
• Dacic, Cavusoglu: Serbia-Turkey relations at exceptional level (N1)
• Vucic: Pristina thinks it solves problems with fierce statements (KoSSev)
• Osmani attacks the Non-Aligned Summit due to loss of support at the international level, says Petkovic (NMagazin, Beta)
• FM Selakovic: UN SC Resolution 1244 guarantee of peace, stability (Tanjug)
• Rakic: Victory of Serbian List a matter of survival, let's show unanimity and decisiveness (Vecernje Novosti, Kosovo Online)

International:

• GRETA publishes its second report on Kosovo*

• Osmani: Serbia continues undermining the state of Kosovo (media)
• KSC judge asks Kosovo Police to declare whether it can enforce interim release conditions (media)
• Miftaraj: Pre-trial judge's request is unreasonable (Koha)
• Pressure for Association increases (Koha)
• Kosovo Court Annuls Decision on Energy Bills in Serb-Dominated North (BIRN)
• Abdixhiku: International community to be convinced to be on Kosovo’s side (Kanal 10)
• Kosovo mayoral candidates unveil plans to fight extremism (BIRN)
• Voters not to be requested vaccination certificates on election day (Telegrafi)
• COVID-19: Two deaths, 14 new cases (media)